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The nineteenth of June in the United States is known as Juneteenth, the commemoration of the emancipation of slaves finally brought to fruition in 1865. Last night, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Virginia was alit in colors of the Pan-African flag in tribute. Here’s why that’s wrong, even though benevolently inspirited.
Juneteenth is an American holiday that represents victory in the cataclysmic war that ended slavery here. (Slavery persists in Africa today, but no one is supposed to discuss it.) Americans suffered deaths and disfigurements in numbers that wouldn’t be seen again until the Second World War, and not seen again since. It had to be fought and won. The Civil War was existential. The colors displayed on the Washington Masonic Memorial, and anywhere else, for Juneteenth ought to be red, white, and blue. There is no reason why a Masonic landmark in this country should participate in supplanting America’s traditional universal symbols with those of divisional or otherwise limited identities. Don’t we get enough of that everywhere else?
Get with it, Memorial peeps! “One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
I leave you with this poem by a Brother Mason from the nineteenth century. This was composed in 1890, when the poet was eighteen years old.
Emancipation
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Raise to the ether your paeans of praise.
Strike every chord and let music be ringing!
Celebrate freely this day of all days.
Few are the years since that notable blessing,
Raised you from slaves to the powers of men.
Each year has seen you my brothers progressing,
Never to sink to that level again.
Perched on your shoulders sits Liberty smiling,
Perched where the eyes of the nations can see.
Keep from her pinions all contact defiling;
Show by your deeds what you’re destined to be.
Press boldly forward nor waver, nor falter.
Blood has been freely poured out in your cause,
Lives sacrificed upon Liberty’s altar.
Press to the front, it were craven to pause.
Look to the heights that are worth your attaining.
Keep your feet firm in the path to the goal.
Toward noble deeds every effort be straining.
Worthy ambition is food for the soul!
Up! Men and brothers, be noble, be earnest!
Ripe is the time and success is assured;
Know that your fate was the hardest and sternest
When through those lash-ringing days you endured.
Never again shall the manacles gall you.
Never again shall the whip stroke defame!
Nobles and Freemen, your destinies call you
Onward to honor, to glory and fame.
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